Land and Water Conservation Fund: In a month not noted for bi-partisan spirit, a letter went to President Clinton from 81 members of Congress, Republicans, Democrats, Senators and Representatives asking for full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund for fiscal year 2000. The letter promised a commitment to making open space, historic preservation, and urban parks a priority in the 106th Congress. Signers urged President Clinton to submit a FY2000 Budget that strengthens the array of programs including the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), the Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery program (UPARR), and the Forest Legacy program. From AMC’s region, the signers include: Senators Kennedy, Leahy, Kerry, Reed, Lieberman, Lautenberg, Toricelli, Chaffee and Jeffords and Representatives Delahunt, Meehan, McGovern, Olver, Neal, Allen, Maloney (CT), Maloney (NY), Andrews, Fattah, Frank, Ackerman, McCarthy, Pallone, Pascrell, Moakley, Kanjorski, Sanders, Nadler, Gejdenson, Weygard, Kennedy, Serrano, Moran, Boehlert, Frelinghuysen, Smith (NJ), LoBiondo, Roukema, Gilchrist, Lazio, Walsh, Johnson, Shays, Greenwood, Forbes and Franks (NJ). Please thank your Senators and Representatives for signing this letter. If they didn’t, your phone call or letter can make a difference for next time.

Northern Forest: The biggest public-private multi-state conservation partnership in American history will protect 300,000 acres of Northern Forest land previously owned by Champion International in New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. However, the ability to protect the Nulhegan River basin, lands bordering the Connecticut River and to keep around 85,000 acres as sustainable working forests in Vermont is contingent on securing public funds. In New Hampshire, the ability to protect 18,000 acres near the Connecticut River would encompass 12 peaks over 3,000 feet and 28 miles land along streams is also contingent on finding matching public funds. These are opportunities not to be lost. Re-invigorating the Land and Water Conservation Fund – both federal and state programs – is an essential piece to make sure these special places are protected. In addition, restoring funding levels for Forest Legacy will be needed to secure the conservation easements on the other lands. These easements will ensure that the Champion lands which will be re-sold to private forestry interests will stay as working forests and allow for recreational access. Call or write your Congressional Representatives to demand full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and for Forest Legacy.

Air Quality: This year is the first time that Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) have surpassed cars in sales. SUVs and light trucks are not required to meet the same emissions standards as cars. California will close this loophole beginning 2004 and the EPA is revising tailpipe standards for the rest of the country. Write Administrator Carol Browner, EPA, 401 M. St. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460 to urge the EPA to adopt the same stringent standards for cars as for light trucks and sports utility vehicles.

Regional Haze: The Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing goals for reaching natural levels of visibility within National Parks and wilderness areas. The original target was set at 200 years. Given that technology that’s available today could nearly solve the program and that the fleet of cars, power plants and industry used today would certainly be replaced in the next fifty years, the target is overly cautious. A more appropriate and reachable goal is fifty years or less. Write Administrator Carol Browner, EPA, 401 M. Street S.W., Washington, DC 20460 urge the EPA to improve the visibility in National Parks, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges in our lifetime.

Animal Feeding Strategy: The EPA and US Department of Agriculture are seeking ways to address the pollution from large animal feeding operations including poultry, hogs and cattle. The draft plan does not include poultry manure under the rules for animal feeding operations. Maryland took some good first steps in controlling poultry manure after the recent outbreaks of pfiesteria in Chesapeake Bay, but these efforts need strong federal guidelines. The proposed strategy has several weaknesses. Public input should be part of any siting process for large industrial agricultural operations. Large production companies which own the animals must be responsible for waste management and disposal, and the strategy should require measures to prevent run-off of excess nutrients into rivers and other waterways, including incentives for farmers and corporations to develop ecologically sound manure disposal methods. Comments on the strategy are being accepted through January 19^th, 1999. Write to Denise Coleman, Program Analyst, Natural Resource Conservation Service, ATTN: AFO, P. O. Box 2890, Washington DC 20013-2890; or send email: denise_c_coleman@usda.gov

Regional News:

Land Protection in Maine: The Nature Conservancy bought 185,000 acres of St. Johnsbury watershed lands from International Paper. This land includes 40 miles of the Upper St. John River. This area, in the far northwest corner of Maine, provides habitat for bear, moose and has many rare plant species. The Nature Conservancy will keep the area open for fishing, hunting and other recreation. Although this purchase is large, it represents only 4% of the total acreage to have changed hands in Maine since October.

White Mountain National Forest: A recent discovery of the Indiana bat, an endangered species that needs older, more mature trees to survive, has caused a temporary moratorium in logging in the National Forest. This moratorium will continue until there’s a more complete determination of the extent of the numbers of bats (they are quite small) within the White Mountain. At the same time, the Forest Service will need to develop a viable management plan that accommodates the bats. In terms of overall impact, logging is not a significant activity within the White Mountains.

LWCF Summit in Albany: On January 20^th the Empire State Task Force for Land and Water Conservation Funding will hold a summit on Restoring LWCF. The Summit will be held in Albany, NY from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To attend or receive more information, contact Albert Caccese 518-474-0402 or on the web: http://www.amc-ny.org/lwcfsummit.html

Old Growth Forests in Massachusetts: The Board of the Department of Environmental Management approved the state’s old growth policy, this month. The policy establishes management plans for old growth forests, creates buffers to protect old growth and sets standards for managing state owned lands for old growth characteristics. To receive a copy of this policy, contact Ruth Dinerman, 413-443-0011 ext. 11 or via email: rdinerman@amcinfo.org

Ruth Dinerman